Blue Lotus Gardens

Blue Lotus Garden © KJ Hocking
Eleven members set out for the Blue Lotus Gardens near Yarra Junction on Sunday the 2nd March on a cool and overcast morning. A coffee together at the cafe overlooking some of the ponds was had before setting out around the gardens.
Some members decided that they would challenge themselves by only using a particular focal length and no other- macro lenses were one such example of this. Three members who decided to shoot in macro also tested further their new Cygnustech flash diffusers, with great results!
The gardens themselves were absolutely beautiful, with the lotus flowers in varying stages, from new, delicate buds, full blooms, to decay. An array of other flowers around the grounds, as well as lovely red bridges over the ponds, provided many photographic opportunities.
Insects and birds provided interest, with three members seeing Blue-banded Bees, a tiny native Australian bee. They were not in the slightest bit cooperative photographically speaking, but were still great to see!
Lunch together, with much laughter and a series of bad selfies concluded what had been a terrific outing for WCC members.